EXPERT INTERVIEW
Interview with Interior designer Soraya from Lounge & Linger
Why should people appoint an interior designer instead of managing their own project? Creating beautiful, tailored home interiors is achieved with the balance of talent and resources. Talent comes from all around us, including our clients. Finding the right designer can be overwhelming in itself. Many of our clients simply have very little time to apply themselves into creating their own home. Sourcing quality suppliers, unique finds, contractors, art, colour palettes can be time consuming and quite daunting, so hiring in the extra ‘eye’ will make a huge difference. I believe we all create something beautiful even if it’s not your day to day work, it’s how to apply it to your home environment without getting stuck along the way. Our relationship with our customers plays the biggest part in the aesthetic and functionality of a home. It’s all part of the journey. What type of projects get you most excited? We have worked on some incredible projects over the last 8 years, including work with Claridges, Soho House and a recent residential project in Kensington was a dream. As no project is the same, each day brings something new. This in itself is exciting. What will the client request from us, what can we add to a space that will truly meet all their expectations? It’s an exciting position to be in. Each new project is a blank canvas, and this is where we begin. Who or what have been your major influences and role models? That’s a great question! The first person that came to mind is Vivienne Westwood who I’m drawn to like a magnet. Her philosophy and quintessential attitude, and what she stands for is extremely cool. I also cite my early upbringing in Beirut with it’s faded 70’s glamour as highly influential. The importance of family, art, food can deeply influence me every day. The work of Audubon is wonderful, the Art Deco era is a fascinating time to look into. London itself is inspiring, with its huge diversity and creativity on every corner. Stormzy is pretty incredible too. In terms of fellow interiors designers, I love Kelly Wearstler and also sway towards Alberto Pinto and Martin Brudnizki with huge respect for all three. What’s your Process from getting that initial phone enquiry from a new client? We take a unique and tailored approach to each project, we focus on our clients needs and vision, balancing functionality with aesthetics. We begin the journey by meeting where we discuss plans and ideas. We follow this by requesting floor plans, and the team and myself will start by creating a mood board. We build a relationship with you, forming ideas jointly, sourcing unique finds and piecing it all together. Is there a project that you are most proud of? Yes! Two actually! In the gloom of 2020 Lounge & Linger were asked to revamp the much loved Hedsor House in Buckinghamshire. It’s a magnificent house and the final results brought tears to my eyes. The other project was the beautifully restored 1920’s Art Deco house in Eastbourne called The Sandcastle. This was a temporary project for a 6 month rental. The house was cleverly designed to make the most of sea views with a Great Gatsby-style swimming pool and was a secret hideaway for Edward and Mrs Simpson in the 1930’s. It’s an Art Deco piece of paradise on the coast of England.
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